Darryl Strawberry brought his message of hope to Battle Creek, Michigan this May, headlining the city's 44th annual Community Prayer Breakfast at Kellogg Arena. The event, themed 'Out of the Dugout, Into the Light,' draws more than a thousand people each year, and organizers landed one of the most sought-after inspirational voices in sports to lead it.
Strawberry spoke about the journey that carried him from the bright lights of a Hall of Fame-caliber career to a life of ministry, telling the room that the platform baseball gave him was always meant for something bigger than baseball.
The morning capped a two-day visit that included a meet-and-greet reception at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, where supporters of the breakfast got time with the eight-time All-Star the night before the main event.
It is a routine Strawberry now repeats in cities across the country. On the road for more than half the year, he and his wife Tracy lead the Darryl Strawberry Foundation, which provides education, resources and counseling for people navigating mental health and addiction challenges.
For a community event built on shared faith and purpose, the fit could not have been better - a legend whose second act is entirely about lifting other people up.